@Seriouslyconfused3 here’s some photos for you! The grey T-shirt I’m wearing is a size 26 from ASOS, I just like to wear it round the house tbh.
I was circa 25 stone, I’m 13 stone 12 5ft9. I had health issues due to weight such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Severely addicted to sugar couldn’t lose weight. Just couldn’t didn’t matter what I tried I always went back to chocolate and would just consume so much. Also had sleep apnea. Had surgery on the NHS, really quick from doctors referral to surgery, 11 months in total. Which is very quick for the entire process. If I hadn’t have been able to use the NHS I would have gone to Dr Tamer Abdelbaki in Egypt. I know abroad sounds dodgy but he’s a class surgeons registered in the UK and is very well known. Visits the UK a lot for conferences etc. Pioneered a technique with less scarring etc.
I had pain post surgery, some people are fine but I woke up in recovery screaming, I could feel the drains and so they pumped me full of morphine. Went home after three days but was in agony for a while. For a couple of months I lived on puréed baked beans, cornflakes and soup. Some people find after a couple of months their restriction eases and they can eat more - never happened to me but I also now have a mesh around my oesophagus because I had a hiatal hernia (repaired during surgery).
You have to chew more than you would have done in the past. If you don’t chew enough and it gets stuck at the top of your new stomach, you’ll experience the foamies. This is where your body produces “goo” to move food down the tract but because you now have a tube for a stomach, the goo can’t lubricator around the stuck food so it just piles on too and then you feel the need to burp but really you just need to bring it back up to relieve the sensation. Once you get to goo point you will be sick but it’s not the same sick you’re used to, can only describe it as regurgitation. You won’t feel full in the same way, it’s just pressure on your chest and if you’re lucky you’ll hiccup. That’s when you know you cannot take another bite, I think the hiccups help move the food down. Basically those things will happen if you don’t follow the rules. I categorically eat too fast everytime so I don’t think I’ve stretched the stomach because I never fill it as I’m constantly like oh shit. I used to be “sick” after every meal, now it’s not that often. Might have a week where I do it a lot but I’m used to it.
Say goodbye to chicken! There are certain foods you’ll no longer tolerate, chicken breast is one of them. Slow cooked chicken thighs are fine. You know how when you chicken chicken breast it kinda balls up? Any food like that you should avoid. I can’t eat bread but I can eat 3/4 slice of toast. Can’t eat yoghurt too fast, can’t eat a whole magnum ice cream. Can eat a slice of pizza. Can’t eat to much broccoli or cauliflower as it will hurt my stomach. You’re not supposed to drink fizzy drinks but they help me tbh in a weird way. The bubbles help me not want to eat, diet ones that is.
I sometimes have hypoglycaemic moments and have learned to avoid things like cake with sugary syrup ie lemon drizzle because it’s like the syrup hits me all at once and then I have a sugar low and pass out at work (happened 2 weeks into a job). I’ve learned my gut is sensitive to sugar and if I take the piss I’ll be very uncomfortable. As you’re taking in less food, you’ll poo a lot less but you have to make sure you drink enough or it will be like passing boulders. Sorry I’m telling you all the weird stuff!
You have to have b13 jabs and take various vitamins. Because I hardly eat anything I’m on a full spectrum of iron, b12 vitamin d etc
Your hair will fall out as you loose weight; so I had the chop as it was a annoying. Hair will get back to normal after a while, it happens with any weight loss method that is fast.
I pretty much eat what I want just in smaller amounts. I have porridge for breakfast, but I drink my coffee first I can’t have it afterwards. I snack on babybel, olives, deli meat. Lunch I eat leftovers or I have a slice of toast. I can almost eat a full mugshot. Afternoon I’ll have fruit or crackers, can eat two crackers. Might have a biscuit. Dinner I’ll eat whatever the boys are having for dinner. Just in tiny amounts. We had ribs the other night, I managed two and a piece of broccoli. I would say, I don’t enjoy food now but I enjoyed it too much to start with. If DP wants takeaway, he can choose - what’s the point in me choosing. If I cook, I’m not cooking to please me because I can’t eat much.
That sounds really negative all above it’s not really it’s just a different way of living now. I avoid foods that cause issues and I eat small amounts of food. I still eat naughty food, but I’ll feel sick if I eat too much so I can’t binge.
I have a lot of saggy skin, my bum looks like a shar pei so I’m saving up for cosmetic surgery. Arms, legs, bum, boobs, tummy. Omg and under my chin is baggy :(